"I am the Lord, your God Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

"You shall not recognize the gods of others in My presence. You shall not make yourself a carved image nor any likeness of that which is in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the water beneath the earth.

"You shall not prostrate yourself to them nor worship them, for I am the Lord, your God – a jealous God, Who visits the sin of fathers upon children to the third and forth generations, for My enemies; but Who shows kindness for thousands [of generations] to those who love Me and observe My commandments.

"You shall not take the Name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for God will not absolve anyone who takes His Name in vain.

"Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days shall you work and accomplish all your work; but the seventh day is Shabbat to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work – you, your son, your daughter, your slave, your maidservant, your animal, and your convert within your gates – for in six days God made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, God blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days will be lengthened upon the land that the Lord your God gives you.

"You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness against your fellow.

"You shall not covet your fellow's house. You shall not covet your fellow's wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your fellow."

If a bird's nest happens to be before you on the road, on any tree or on the ground – young birds or eggs – and the mother is roosting on the young birds or the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. You shall surely send away the mother and take the young for yourself, so that it will be good for you and will prolong your days.

Source 3: Maimonides on the Purpose of MiraclesFoundations of Torah 8:1

All the miracles that Moses performed in the desert were done only for a specific purpose, not in order to bring proof for prophecy. If it was necessary to drown the Egyptians, the sea split and they were swallowed up within it. If we required food, God caused the manna to descend. When they were thirsty, he brought water from the rock. When the group of Korach and his followers rebelled, the earth swallowed them. And so, too, all the other signs and wonders.

WORKSHOP

(1) According to Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot), why is there no mention of the reward for specific mitzvot in the Torah? What is the reason for the exceptions to this rule?

(2) What are the exceptions to the rule that specific rewards are not mentioned for individual mitzvot? Why were these two mitzvot singled out?

(3) How did the story of Elisha Ben Abuya cause Rabbi Akiva to refine the definition of the reward of a "long life"?

(4) In what way does the presentation of the Ten Commandments differ from that of other Torah mitzvot? How does this present a challenge to Rabbi Blech's premise that all mitzvot are equal?

(5) How does Rabbi Blech interpret the term Asseret Hadibrot (Ten Commandments)? How does he use this concept to answer the challenge that the Ten Commandments appear to be more important than other commandments?

(6) Give two examples of how specific laws are contained within the framework of the "Ten Principles" revealed at Mount Sinai.

(7) Why is something as basic as the Ten Principles not included in our daily prayers?

(8) What is implicit in the words "God spoke all of these words, saying" (Exodus 20:1 – see source 1)? Why was it important that God speak all commands in one breath, if we were unable to understand them communicated that way?

(9) What is unique about the revelation at Mount Sinai, that differs from every other religion?

ANSWERS

(1) Q: According to Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot), why is there no mention of the reward for specific mitzvot in the Torah? What is the reason for the exceptions to this rule?

A: God wants us to perform the mitzvah for its own sake, rather than for the sake of the reward we will receive.

God tells us the reward of two mitzvot in the Torah to teach us the principle that all mitzvot are rewarded. According to Jewish law, a principle cannot be validated without a minimum of two witnesses. Thus two mitzvot were selected to bear witness to this principle.

(2) Q: What are the exceptions to the rule that specific rewards are not mentioned for individual mitzvot? Why were these two mitzvot singled out?

A: Two mitzvot have their reward explicitly mentioned in the Torah – honoring one's parents, and the mitzvah to send away the mother bird from its nest before taking its eggs or young. Honoring one's parents is considered to be among the most difficult of mitzvot to perform. Shooing away the mother bird from her young is considered to be the easiest mitzvah to perform, requiring a simple swipe of the hand. Through these examples, God tells us that reward exists for all mitzvot – from the easiest to the hardest, and all that lie between.

(3) Q: How did the story of Elisha Ben Abuya cause Rabbi Akiva to refine the definition of the reward of a "long life"?

A: Rabbi Elisha Ben Abuya lost his faith in God after seeing a boy die while obeying his father's instructions to shoo away a mother bird before taking her eggs. Both of these mitzvot carry the reward of a "long life" as documented in the Torah. Rabbi Akiva explained that the real meaning of "long life" applies to the World to Come, rather than this world.

(4) Q: In what way does the presentation of the Ten Commandments differ from that of other Torah mitzvot? How does this present a challenge to Rabbi Blech's premise that all mitzvot are equal?

A: Only 10 of the 613 commandments were written on the tablets of stone presented to the Moses and the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. This act seems to single them out as special, in contrast to Rabbi Blech's earlier premise that all mitzvot are considered equal.

(5) Q: How does Rabbi Blech interpret the term Asseret Hadibrot (Ten Commandments)? How does he use this concept to answer the challenge that the Ten Commandments appear to be more important than other commandments?

A: Rabbi Blech asserts that the term Asseret Hadibrot does not mean Ten Commandments in English; otherwise they would have been called the Asseret HaMitzvot (mitzvot meaning commandments). Rather, the Asseret Hadibrot is a list of Ten Principles or major categories into which all mitzvot can be placed. All 613 commandments are linked to one of the Ten Principles. Rabbi Blech's insight preserves the principle that all commandments are equal.

(6) Q: Give two examples of how specific laws are contained within the framework of the "Ten Principles" revealed at Mount Sinai.

A: a) Embarrassing someone in public is a sin which can be included in the laws of murder. When a person is embarrassed publicly, the blood drains from their face and they wish they were no longer living. According to the Talmud, this act is viewed as a derivative of "You shall not kill," the sixth commandment.

b) Commandments to keep all the festivals – Passover, Yom Kippur, etc. – can be grouped under the Principle of "Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it." We learn from the Principle of keeping Shabbat that time is holy. Once we accept this concept on a weekly basis, we can develop and extend it to celebrate significant dates on an annual basis.

(7) Q: Why is something as basic as the Ten Principles not included in our daily prayers?

A: The daily reading of the Ten Commandments was cancelled by the Sages, in order that people would not overemphasize their importance. Daily repetition of one small portion could be very misleading.

Christianity chose to make the Ten Commandments its only important commandments. Judaism, both by theology and by law, reaffirmed that the Ten Commandments are not the whole of the Torah; they are merely the summary of it. When the Ten Commandments were mistakenly identified as the entire covenant by the Christians, the rabbis chose to exclude them from the daily service rather than allow it an exaggerated importance within Judaism. Here again we see that we must be scrupulous in the performance of all mitzvot – major and minor ones – as all mitzvot are created equal and none can be taken lightly or discarded.

(8) Q: What is implicit in the words "God spoke all of these words, saying" (Exodus 20:1 – see source 1)? Why was it important that God speak all commands in one breath, if we were unable to understand them communicated that way?

A: God chose to recite all ten laws in one instant, before articulating each one in a comprehensible manner. He wanted to ensure that we would not give additional value to any one portion of the Divine law and that we would understand that they are all equal in God's eyes. With this act, God ensured that those laws subsequently spoken by Moses would not be interpreted as less important that the first two that were said directly by God.

(9) Q: What is unique about the revelation at Mount Sinai, that differs from every other religion?

A: Other major world religions are founded on a claim of God's word being revealed to one individual. This individual would then go out into the world saying, "God said to me..." Followers of that religion believe in the authenticity of this person alone.

Judaism is unique in that God's revelation was witnessed directly by close to two million people (600,000 males between the ages 20 and 60, plus those who were younger and older, making for a male population of about one million; and an equal number of females). God gave His Torah to the Jewish people without any intermediary. In addition, the Midrash teaches that the souls of all future generations were present at Sinai. The revelation at Sinai, including both Written and Oral Torah, has been passed down from generation to generation without change for over 3,300 years.

SUMMARY

God does not indicate the reward for every individual mitzvah in the Torah. He does this because He does not want our primary motivation to be for the sake of the reward itself. Rather God wants us to serve Him out of love and for the benefit of the mitzvah.

On the other hand, we must know that there is a reward. Only two mitzvot in the Torah explicitly state the reward given for their performance: the mitzvah of honoring one's parents and that of shooing away the mother bird before taking her eggs. These mitzvot were chosen because the represent the 'hardest' and 'easiest' mitzvot to perform. The implication is that by using the "hardest" and "easiest" mitzvot, it shows that all the in-between mitzvot also carry a reward.

Jewish law requires two witnesses to attest to the validity of any claim. Thus these two mitzvot act as two witnesses to the existence of reward in the Torah.

Elisha Ben Abuya saw a boy die while obeying his father's instructions to shoo away the mother bird. When he died, he was fulfilling the two mitzvot whose reward is long life. After witnessing this seeming contradiction, Elisha Ben Abuya renounced Judaism. As a result, Rabbi Akiva made a point to clarify that that the reward of "length of days" mentioned in the Torah refers to our days in the World to Come, not in this world.

We have already established the principle that all mitzvot are equal. However the Ten Commandments appear to be 10 mitzvot singled out for preferential treatment. Actually, a more accurate translation of Asseret Hadibrot is the "Ten Principles," which synopsize all 613 mitzvot in the Torah. Every one of the 613 can be subsumed under the heading of one of these Ten Principles.

The Ten Principles were given in sequence. God spoke only the first two, and Moses gave the final eight. This was because the Jews were fearful of death if they would continue to hear God's voice. Their souls would have been naturally pulled back to their source and out of their bodies, leading to a physical death.

In speaking the first two, God was able to express all the mitzvot. This is what is meant by "And God spoke all of these words." Thus the words of Moses are an extension of that which God already said directly. We need not rely on faith alone, as the Jewish people heard all of the Torah teachings directly from God.

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About the Author

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a Professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. Author of 14 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, his newest, The World From A Spiritual Perspective, is a collection of over 100 of his best Aish articles. See his website at www.benjaminblech.com.

I just got married and have an important question: Can we eat rice on Passover? My wife grew up eating it, and I did not. Is this just a matter of family tradition?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chametz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why?

Products of kitniyot often appear like chametz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chametz). Also, chametz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited.

In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chametz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chametz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chametz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot.

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil.

Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "cholent" stew!) In the United States and elsewhere, mainstream kosher supervision agencies certify it "Kosher for Passover" -- look for the label.

Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where one family could be eating rice on Passover - when their neighbors will not. So am I going to guess here that you are Ashkenazi and your wife is Sefardi. Am I right?

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (1194-1270), known as Nachmanides, and by the acronym of his name, Ramban. Born in Spain, he was a physician by trade, but was best-known for authoring brilliant commentaries on the Bible, Talmud, and philosophy. In 1263, King James of Spain authorized a disputation (religious debate) between Nachmanides and a Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. Nachmanides reluctantly agreed to take part, only after being assured by the king that he would have full freedom of expression. Nachmanides won the debate, which earned the king's respect and a prize of 300 gold coins. But this incensed the Church: Nachmanides was charged with blasphemy and he was forced to flee Spain. So at age 72, Nachmanides moved to Jerusalem. He was struck by the desolation in the Holy City -- there were so few Jews that he could not even find a minyan to pray. Nachmanides immediately set about rebuilding the Jewish community. The Ramban Synagogue stands today in Jerusalem's Old City, a living testimony to his efforts.

It's easy to be intimidated by mean people. See through their mask. Underneath is an insecure and unhappy person. They are alienated from others because they are alienated from themselves.

Have compassion for them. Not pity, not condemning, not fear, but compassion. Feel for their suffering. Identify with their core humanity. You might be able to influence them for the good. You might not. Either way your compassion frees you from their destructiveness. And if you would like to help them change, compassion gives you a chance to succeed.

It is the nature of a person to be influenced by his fellows and comrades (Rambam, Hil. De'os 6:1).

We can never escape the influence of our environment. Our life-style impacts upon us and, as if by osmosis, penetrates our skin and becomes part of us.

Our environment today is thoroughly computerized. Computer intelligence is no longer a science-fiction fantasy, but an everyday occurrence. Some computers can even carry out complete interviews. The computer asks questions, receives answers, interprets these answers, and uses its newly acquired information to ask new questions.

Still, while computers may be able to think, they cannot feel. The uniqueness of human beings is therefore no longer in their intellect, but in their emotions.

We must be extremely careful not to allow ourselves to become human computers that are devoid of feelings. Our culture is in danger of losing this essential aspect of humanity, remaining only with intellect. Because we communicate so much with unfeeling computers, we are in danger of becoming disconnected from our own feelings and oblivious to the feelings of others.

As we check in at our jobs, and the computer on our desk greets us with, "Good morning, Mr. Smith. Today is Wednesday, and here is the agenda for today," let us remember that this machine may indeed be brilliant, but it cannot laugh or cry. It cannot be happy if we succeed, or sad if we fail.

Today I shall...

try to remain a human being in every way - by keeping in touch with my own feelings and being sensitive to the feelings of others.

With stories and insights,
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